Love is in the Air
by Leeman
Summary: This is a rewrite of the ending of the 6th episode of Ayashi no Ceres. Please R+R!!


Disclaimer: I don't own Ayashi no Ceres, Yuuhi, or Ceres. Although, I wish Ceres was alive and with me. I would take her hand in marriage and return to the heavens with her after she got her Hagoromo back from that evil bastard who stole it from her. 

  
  


Author's notes: This fan fic is a rewrite of the ending scenes of the sixth episode of Ayashi no Ceres. I was really disappointed with what actually happened at the end of this episode, and I have decided to rewrite it so that I may picture the events in my head that should have taken place in my opinion. Enjoy the fic, minna-san, and if you're opposed to a Yuuhi + Ceres = Love equation, then I suggest you find another fic to entertain yourself. I have an overwhelmingly strong belief that Yuuhi and Ceres should be together. It really sucks, but it doesn't look like they are going to be together. Oh well, Ayashi no Ceres is still an interesting series, and I do look forward to watching the rest of it. That's about enough ranting from me. This story begins as Ceres grabs Yuuhi and is running to leap out of the hole she blasted in the side of the building. Oh, and words between *...* are thoughts. 

  
  


Love is in the Air

by Leeman

  
  


"What?!?!" Aya's evil cousin screamed as Ceres flew of the ledge of the building with Yuuhi in her arms.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" Yuuhi yelled in surprise as he was swept off of his feet and into the air far above the tiny looking cars below. As she and Yuuhi flew away from the building, Aya's cousin gazed upon them with a look of shock on his face. 

"She's flying," he whispered. Aki, who was also watching this take place, was too shocked to utter a coherent phrase.

Ceres flew far away from the building and came to a stop far above an elevated highway full of cars speeding by. If one of them had glanced up in the sky, a deadly accident could have been the end result, but fortune shined upon the Tennyo and the boy she held in her arms. "Thank you for saving me, Yuuhi."

"What the??? Don't you need your Hagoromo to fly?"

"No, but I cannot return to the heavens without it. I don't want to remain in this horrid world any longer."

"Why is this world so horrid to you? Are we humans that disgusting?" She was shocked by this and pulled him even closer to herself in response.

"Yuuhi, humans aren't disgusting. It's just that I miss my home. My world was stolen from me by that evil bastard, and I just want to go home. The Mikage are evil, and they deserve to pay for their crimes. I would spare them, however, if my Hagoromo was returned to me."

"You would just leave everything behind? What about Aya's opinion of this matter? I don't think she would want her world stolen from her. It would be the same situation that you were put in so many years ago." She shuddered, and a tear rolled down her face and landed on Yuuhi's shoulder.

"I apologize for being so selfish, but I still cannot deny my feelings. I want to see my family again. Even I have a mother and father, and I also have an older sister. I miss them very much, and I have waited so long to be reunited with them. Can't you understand this?" He felt himself go numb as he absorbed her words. This whole damn situation was just one huge mess. There could be no happy endings. It was either Ceres's happiness or Aya's. He remained silent as he realized just how warm and soft she was. He was so close to her that he could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. He sniffed her hair and smiled. Her scent was very familiar to him, but he couldn't seem to place it. It was of no consequence though because it was the most intoxicating aroma he had ever experienced. She started shivering, and he could feel his shoulder growing wetter by the second. *She's crying, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. The woman I have sworn to protect is much more fragile that I realized. I wish there was something I could do for her. It pains me so much to see her cry.*

"Shh...it's okay. Everything will work out well. All that matters is hope. If we keep hope alive then there will always be a way." She ceased crying and pulled her head back to look at him. He was so calm that it reassured her. He had absolute faith in the words he just spoke to her even though they were foolish. He smiled at her and used his free hand to wipe away a few stray tears that still remained on her face. She felt a jolt of electricity coarse down her spine. He smelled of sandalwood, and it was beginning to drive all her senses haywire. All that mattered to her was that she was close to him, her protector. Could it be possible that he protected her out of more than duty alone? Could he possibly love her? *No, I'm such an idiot. He loves Aya, not me.* She couldn't stand to look at his beautiful face any longer and she jerked her head away from him. He was obviously confused, and the expression on his face emphasized that fact. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

"No! I'm not okay! I'm stuck here on this dismal world with no one to care for me! My family is in the heavens, and I'm left here all alone. I'm tired of this world, and I just want to go home! Is that so much to ask?" He reacted out of pure instinct. He gently placed his hand under her chin and turned her face back to him.

"You're not alone, Ceres. I am your protector, and I would like to be your friend. I know that it is hard for you to trust a human, but we're not all that bad. Don't worry. We'll figure out a way for you to return home. In the mean time, you should just try to enjoy viewing the world through Aya's eyes."

"You really care for Aya, don't you?" This caught him off guard, and he could feel his cheeks growing hotter by the second.

"I think...I think I might be in love with her." Ceres felt a new sensation stabbing at her heart. Those words wounded her almost as deeply as being separated from her family. She began shivering once again, and new tears flowed from her eyes. Yuuhi was baffled by her response. *She still believes that she'll never be reunited with her family. God I wish there was something I could do for her. Why does it bother me so much to see her cry? I've never felt like this before. Her pain is my pain. Is it because of these bands that bear the mark of the Tennyo, or is it something else?* He pulled her close to him and he buried his face in her shoulder. A tear rolled down his face, and her shoulder soon became wet with tears just like his shoulder. She noticed that he was crying, and confusion replaced her sadness. He was so warm and gentle. Why should he be sad?

"Yuuhi, why are you crying? Do you miss Aya that much?"

"No, not really. It just hurts me to see you sad. I don't know why, but your pain is my pain, and I just want you to be happy." She felt her heart skip a beat or two at his words, and a wave of new thoughts flooded her mind. *Could he love me after all? Or does he just want to be a good friend to me? Why can't he just love me? Is it my looks? Am I not beautiful? I just want to be with him. Why can't he see that?*

"Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked him just above a whisper. A whole new wave of confusion came crashing down on him, but if it would make her feel better, then he would tell her just what he though of her.

"Ceres, you are the most beautiful woma...er Tennyo that I've ever seen. It is very easy to tell that you did come from the heavens. Beauty, such as yours, simply couldn't be of this world." She smiled at him. *It comes to this. I must tell him how I feel. If I don't, I'll lose the best opportunity that I'll ever have.*

"Yuuhi, I...I..."

"You what?" He asked sweetly. She smiled at him. 

"I love you." Yuuhi's jaw dropped, and he lost the composure to speak. *She loves me? What have I done to deserve this? How can she love me?* "Yuuhi, you are my protector and savior. I knew you were a good person from the first moment I saw you. You're not like other people. You're very special, and although I tried to resist, I just couldn't. You are the only thing I have to hold on to in this world."

"Ceres, I...I just don't know what to say. I...I never imagined that you would fall in love with someone like me. This is all so confusing. What about Aya? She loves Touya. It's her body, and she would never fall for me. We couldn't be together."

"So, you do love Aya after all. Well then, I will return her to you." She closed her eyes and began to transform, but she was stopped suddenly by Yuuhi's kiss. His breath felt so warm against her face, and his lips tasted so sweet. She felt shivers down her spine, and she tilted her head and parted her lips to deepen the kiss. Yuuhi responded by parting his lips and exploring her mouth with his tongue. For a moment, everything was forgotten. The only thing in the world that mattered to each of them was the other. The heavens ceased to exist in Ceres's mind as the one she loved kissed her with a passion she didn't know existed, and she returned every bit of it along with all of her frustrations and sorrow. Finally, Yuuhi pulled away from her. He was breathing hard, not only from a lack of oxygen, but from the passion of the goddess who held him in her arms. He smiled at her brightly.

"I never thought that my kiss would ever stop you from transforming." She also smiled at the irony of this. 

"Why did you stop me?"

"Two reasons. One, I wasn't finished talking to you, and two, Aya and I would have fallen to our deaths." She glanced down. 

"Oh." He used his one free hand to tilt her face upward so that his gaze could meet hers.

"Ceres, I don't know what to make of this situation. I'm confused. I thought I had feelings for Aya, but I...I just don't know."

"Shh...don't say anything. Just hold me." He buried his face into her hair and wrapped his free arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled. It felt so wonderful to be held by him. There was no where else that she would rather be. It just felt so right to be in his arms.

Time passed quickly for them. It hadn't seemed like they had been like that for a very long period of time, but the setting sun said otherwise. The sky was colored with gorgeous shades of pink and orange, and the glowing orange sphere had all been swallowed by the horizon except for a little piece of the top. Yuuhi lifted his head off her shoulder. She felt him move, and she became curious about what he was doing. She followed his gaze to the setting sun and smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked him. 

"Yes, but it pales in comparison to your beauty." She felt her cheeks growing warm, and she couldn't help but broaden her smile. "I think I...no, I know that I love you." Her eyes widened in surprise, and she felt a immense amount of joy fill her heart. She looked into his eyes for any hint of a lie, and she was tempted to pinch herself to make sure it was real, but she didn't need to. The warmth of his embrace was enough evidence for her. She had never been so happy, and she started laughing hysterically. If they hadn't been so high above the city, Yuuhi would have face faulted. Instead, a huge bead of sweat formed beside the back of his head. He was completely confused by her response. Finally, she calmed down, but she almost burst our laughing again because of his expression.

"I'm sorry, Yuuhi, but it's just that I've never felt this happy before. That is the first time that I've ever laughed." His confused expression was replaced by a goofy smile. Then, he burst out laughing right before she did. They laughed until oxygen deprivation finally forced them to stop and catch their breath.

"You know, I still fail to see any humor in this, but it feels so good to laugh."

"I agree. You're the first person who has ever made me feel such joy. I love you so much." She hugged him tighter and became lost in his intoxicating scent. It was something that she would never grow tired of. It was perfect...he was perfect. She would give up the heavens for him if she had to. His happiness became her new objective in life. She didn't need to take revenge on the Mikage, and she didn't need her Hagoromo. All she needed was him. 

"I love you more," he simply stated. She just smiled at him as he drew her face closer to his. They kissed once again, and if it were possible, this kiss was more intense than their previous one. Finally, they broke apart. Night was fast approaching, and Yuuhi knew that they had better be getting home soon, but he didn't want this day to end yet. "Why don't we find a lovely place where we can stand on solid ground?" She had completely forgotten about their being suspended in the air, and she finally noticed that he was starting to become a little heavy.

"That would be a great idea. Should I fly us back to your house?"

"No, I have a better place in mind." He pointed to a small mountain just outside of the city. "There is a cave there that I used to runaway from my home when I was younger. It's been a while, but it was beautiful when I last visited it." She began flying in that direction, and Yuuhi held onto her tightly. She could fly quickly, and it didn't take them very long to arrive at their destination. They landed on a large ledge in front of the cave. Normally, it would have taken Yuuhi at least an hour to climb up here, but climbing was not a factor to a Tennyo. "Would it be possible for you to create a light? It's very dark inside, and I didn't exactly bring a flashlight with me." She held out her hand, and a ball of pink light formed in it. 

"Will this do?"

"Perfect." He led her into the cave, and she was amazed by the formations inside. "The large, dagger-like rocks protruding from the ground are called stalagmites, and the ones on the ceiling are called stalactites." 

"They're beautiful. What causes them to sparkle?"

"The light being reflected by the silver deposits inside of them. This cave is full of silver deposits, but I never told anyone about it because they would have destroyed it in order to mine all of the silver here."

"How did you find this place?" 

"I found it the first time I ran away from home. My stepmother, she...mistreated me when I was younger after my real mother left me. I climbed up this mountain to get as far away from my family as possible, and I stumbled upon this place. I didn't go very far in the first time because the sunlight only penetrates the entrance for so far. I stayed here for a whole day before I finally had to go home because of hunger and thirst. I was determined to return here, though, and the next time I ran away, I brought a flashlight with me. Come on and I'll show you something really awesome."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there." He led her much deeper into the cave. The silver deposits on the wall reflected the pink light she held in her palm which was, in itself, a beautiful site to behold. The farther back they went, the more stalactites and stalagmites they encountered. Something else about the walls of the cave became apparent too. There were patches of glassy, black rock. Finally, the small tunnel opened up into a huge cavern. Inside of it were old clay pots and tools. On the walls, which were mostly made of obsidian, there were all sorts of drawings of people and animals and such. 

"What is this place? What are all these drawings?"

"These are drawings of a people who lived millions of years ago. These drawings are from the ancestors of the people you see today. These primitive pots were what these people used to eat and drink from, and these tools are what they used to make weapons, cut their meat, and shape their pots. My guess is that this was some sort of shelter that they used only in case of an emergency. Other pottery and drawings have been found around the bottom of the mountain, but these are the only ones that I know of that are up this high."

"So this is how your ancestors used to live?"

"Yes. This is why this place is special to me." She smiled. 

"I understand. This is a beautiful place. Thank you for sharing it with me." He smiled. 

"You know. I never thought I would ever show this place to anyone, but I feel as if I can share everything of mine with you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. This place is very special to me, but it doesn't mean anything when compared to you." Instead of responding with words, she just stepped forward and kissed him with much intensity. She loved him so very much, and she wanted him to express this to him. 

Yuuhi felt a burning desire well up within him as he kissed her. He wanted to be closer to her, but he was already pressed against her. Her skin was so soft, and she tasted so good. She smelled of mulberry, and he became intoxicated with her. She was driving his senses off the wall, but he still wanted more. He explored her body with his hands, and she shivered from the sensations of pleasure which flowed through her. She needed his touch, and he was supplying it, but it still wasn't enough. She wanted more...she needed more. Finally, he reached a breaking point, and he scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to a smooth area of obsidian that was about an inch higher than the rest of the cave floor.

Yuuhi awoke to complete darkness. *Where in the hell am I?* He felt something warm beside him. *Wha...no. Who is this?* He reached over and felt who it was, and then the memories came rushing to the surface. He groaned and stood up. It was completely dark in the cavern, and he couldn't see anything. *I wonder what time it is. My sister is going to be worried sick.* He shivered, and that's when he realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes. *Dammit, it's a little chilly in here. If I could just figure out where I threw them.* He managed to find his boxers and shirt as well as Ceres's shirt and bra. He tried searching around for more clothing, but it was useless. He couldn't see, and if he went too far away, he'd just get lost in the dark. *I suppose I'll just have to wake her up.* He crawled around until he felt her hair with his hands. He crawled up next to her and put a hand on her face by accident. He moved his hand to her shoulder, and gently shook her. "Ceres, we have to get going. My sister is going to kill me. Ceres." She began to stir and yawned. Her eyes snapped open to total darkness, and she reacted by forming a light in her hand. She looked up to see Yuuhi staring down at her, and she blushed when she realized just what he was staring at.

"Yuuhi." He immediately jerked his head away. 

"I'm sorry." 

"For what?" 

"For...umm...staring at you like that." She smiled. 

"Don't worry about it. I'm flattered." 

"Here." He handed her the articles of clothing he managed to find.

"Thank you." Now that there was a source of light, he easily found the rest of their clothing. After they were dressed, they left the cavern. They enjoyed their surroundings in silence as they ambled through the glorious tunnel.

Yuuhi shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight as he stepped out of the cave's entrance. Ceres walked out beside him and smiled. It was simply a lovely day to be outside. The cool breeze carried the refreshing scent of summer. After Yuuhi's eyes adjusted to the increased brightness of his surroundings, he turned to Ceres. "I guess we'd better be getting home. My sister will be angry if we're gone too long. Wait a minute. We've already been gone at least a whole day. She is going to be very upset."

"I'm sorry for getting you into trouble."

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault, and besides, I would do it all over again if I had the chance." She smiled and embraced him. He held her tightly as their feet left the ground. They slowly ascended high into the magnificent blue sky, and then they flew towards Yuuhi's home. She flew very slowly, though, because she knew that she would have to change back into Aya when they arrived, and she wanted to enjoy every moment that she shared with Yuuhi to the fullest.

Their hour long flight finally came to an end as they landed in front of his house. "Well, we're here," Yuuhi said a little nervously.

"Yes, we are."

"Shall we go inside and face my sister's wraith?"

"I'm not going to go inside with you." He gave her a puzzled look, and waited for her to explain. "I am going to change back into Aya."

"Can't you just remain as you are?"

"No, this is Aya's body. I can't just leave her sleeping inside of me while I live on."

"I understand, but still. Isn't she happy sleeping?"

"She is in a suspended state of being. She can be neither happy nor sad."

"I don't want to lose you. I want to be with you until the end of time. Is there any way that I can persuade you not to change back?" She cupped his cheek and smiled. 

"No, Yuuhi. I promise you that we will be together someday, but this is Aya's life."

"And I promise you that I will find your Hagoromo and return it to you."

"Thank you, Yuuhi."

"There is one condition, however."

"Oh, what's that?"

"When you return to the heavens, you must promise to take me with you."

"I can't. It's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. I understand that I would have to physically die in order to go, but as long as my spirit is with you, it doesn't matter."

"Yuuhi..."

"I want to be with you forever, Ceres. I love you more than life, itself." She embraced him fiercely. 

"I love you so much. I promise that I will take you to heaven with me once I finally have my Hagoromo."

"Thank you." He lifted her chin up with his hand very gently and kissed her feverishly one last time. He closed his eyes, and ran his hands over her body to remember every detail of her. When he broke the kiss and opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with Aya. She smacked him immediately, and he cupped the side of his face which now bore a red imprint of her hand. "What was that for?!"

"You pervert! You know all too well what that was for!" 

"All I did was change you back from Ceres."

"Yeah right. You had your hands all over me."

"Ok then, where were you five minutes ago?"

"I was...I was...umm...I don't remember."

"Exactly. You were Ceres five minutes ago."

"Oh, I see now. I'm sorry for slapping you, but you didn't have to put your hands all over me." He blushed. 

"Well...umm...I...I'm sorry about that. It's just that I..."

"You what?"

"Never mind."

"No, tell me."

"It's not important. Forget it."

"You can't just leave a person hanging like this. Tell me what you were going to say."

"Just forget it."

"Tell me!"

"Ok, ok. I...umm...I..."

"Spit it out."

"I...I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat." He took off running into the house, and she chased after him. He ran into the living room to find his sister sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea. Her hair was a mess, and she had a dark shading below her eyes. It was obvious that she had been up all night.

"Good afternoon, Sister."

"Good afternoon. Where have you been?"

"Well you see...I was...umm...uhh..."

"You were..."

"I was...umm...well..."

"Spit it out!"

"IspentthenightwithCeresinacave," he sputtered out very rapidly.

"I can't understand you. Slow down and repeat it." He sighed. There was no way out of this but the truth.

"I spent the night in a cave with Ceres." 

"You what?!?!" Both Aya and his sister yelled simultaneously.

"You heard me."

"I can't believe this! I stayed up all night worried sick about you while you were out screwing around!"

"What?!?! You didn't...did you?" Aya asked while her eyebrow twitched. He sighed again. 

"I did." Screams of rage, desperate pleas for help, and the distinct sounds of three people running echoed throughout the house. 

  
  


Author's notes: I must start of by saying that this was extremely fun to write. I enjoyed every second of it. By all rights, this should have been a lemon. It would have flowed so much better. Actually, I found myself starting to write explicitly without realizing it. I've never written a lemon, and I don't plan to, but this story came extremely close to becoming one. It just fit so perfectly. I did want to ensure that this story could be read by a larger audience, and that was the main reason that I didn't go all the way. I believe that Ceres and Yuuhi make a perfect couple. I was very displeased by the actual events that took place in this episode, and that's why I decided to rewrite it. I forgot the name of Aya's evil cousin which is kind of obvious. I also forgot the name of the lady whom Yuuhi is staying with, but he always calls her Sister. I hope you enjoyed reading this story. Please review it. I would love to receive your comments, criticism, and even flames. I appreciate all of the reviews I receive. Domo arigato, minna-san. 


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